China squeezes foreign automakers

September 20, 2010 at 1:32 pm

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Chinese government is considering forcing foreign automakers to reveal their electric vehicle technology in exchange for market access. Dean Emeritus of BU’s School of Management and former Ford executive, Louis Lataif says China may well become a global leader in EV over the coming decades.

“However, China need not hijack competitive technologies by closing their market to any who would not share their intellectual property. The precedent it creates is untenable and the potential for trade retaliation enormous.

“Given the ramifications and the criticism levied around the world and inevitably from the World Trade Organization, China will likely modify the policy considerably before it is ever implemented.”